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mbaMission Admissions Consultant
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A Sense of Community at UC Berkeley Haas and Stanford GSB [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: A Sense of Community at UC Berkeley Haas and Stanford GSB
The Haas School of Business at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, is one of the smaller top MBA programs in the United States, with an average class size of between 250 and 300 students. Despite its small size, however, Berkeley Haas offers a diverse community, both regionally and professionally. Roughly 40% of each incoming class is made up of international students, and each entering class as a whole reflects a wide array of interests and professional backgrounds. Each of Berkeley Haas’s incoming classes is divided into smaller groups, called cohorts, and students remain in their cohort for the first semester, taking all core courses together. Within the cohort, students are further divided into study groups. Study group members work together to prepare for presentations and exams as well as to study cases, and these small groups help enhance and reinforce the relationships between classmates. Noted a second-year student with whom mbaMission spoke, “With everyone trying to work out their identity at the start,” the cohort “makes everything less overwhelming.” Indeed, Haas offers a well-defined structure that supports a collaborative community.

Located just an hour’s drive from UC Berkeley Haas, the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) is similarly well known for its close-knit atmosphere, though its typical class size is a bit larger, with approximately 400 students. However, the school’s relatively small class size allows it to provide students with individualized coaching. First-year students at the GSB are assigned a dedicated academic advisor who helps them create a customized plan for fulfilling their General Management Perspectives and General Management Foundations (core) requirements based on their strengths, weaknesses, experiences, and interests. Students can also take advantage of career advisors, who can offer new perspectives on life beyond the GSB, and of Leadership Fellows, who work with first-year students through lab sessions and one-on-one meetings.

For more information on Berkeley Haas, the Stanford GSB, or 15 other leading MBA programs, check out our free mbaMission Insider’s Guides.
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MBAs Still Encounter a Pay Gap After Graduation, New Study Shows [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: MBAs Still Encounter a Pay Gap After Graduation, New Study Shows
Although an MBA has long been considered beneficial for post-graduate career development, a new survey shows that MBA graduates might not reap equal benefits from their degrees. The survey, which was conducted by the Forté Foundation and obtained data from 900 individuals who graduated with an MBA between 2005 and 2017, reveals a post-MBA pay gap of 16% between minorities and non-minorities. Before enrolling in their studies, non-minorities reported an average pay of $71,294, while minorities reported $57,640—a 24% gap. This gap was smaller post-graduation but still notable at 16%, as non-minorities reported a post-MBA average salary of $117,834, compared to the $101,505 reported by minorities.

At many top-ranked business schools, the percentage of minorities within each incoming class has hovered at approximately 30% for several years—at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, for example, 33% of the Class of 2020 identify as a U.S. student of color. At the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Business School, and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the corresponding figure for the latest incoming class is 27%, 26%, and 31%, respectively. Outside of the highest ranking schools, minorities are slightly better represented; 57% of the MBA students from more than 400 programs that took part in a 2017 survey conducted by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business identified as white.

The latest survey by the Forté Foundation shows that there is still work to be done. “I’ve always said the MBA is the great equalizer of opportunity,” Elissa Sangster, CEO of the foundation, commented to the Wall Street Journal. “We now know that isn’t true.”
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Meet with an mbaMission Consultant in Your City! [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: Meet with an mbaMission Consultant in Your City!
Are you a business school applicant in need of some guidance from an admissions advisor? If so, then we want to meet you for a free in-person consultation! In the coming weeks, mbaMission will be hosting FREE in-person, one-on-one consultations* in the following cities:

  • Austin, Texas: Monday, February 18, 2019
  • Bengaluru, India: Saturday, February 23, 2019
  • Boston, Massachusetts: Various Tuesdays in February and March
  • Dallas, Texas: Thursday, February 21, 2019
  • Dublin, Ireland: Tuesday, March 5 and Wednesday, March 6, 2019
  • Houston, Texas: Friday, February 22, 2019
  • New York, New York: Various Wednesdays in February and March
  • San Francisco, California: Saturday, February 16, 2019
  • Washington, D.C.: Thursday, February 21, 2019
During your free in-person consultation, your admissions advisor will answer all your most pressing MBA application questions, including the following:

What are my chances of being admitted?

How can I differentiate myself from so many other applicants?

What is the best way to showcase my accomplishments or mitigate my weaknesses?

To sign up for a free in-person consultation in any of these cities, please fill out the form located on our Free Consultation submission page at www.mbamission.com/consult. We will reply to you within one business day with a link to schedule your appointment.

We look forward to getting to know some of this season’s best and brightest business school applicants!

*This offer is valid only for those applicants who have not already had an mbaMission free 30-minute consultation. Please note that all mbaMission consultant appointments are booked in Eastern Time. After booking, if you would like to confirm the local time of your appointment, please contact denise@mbamission.com.
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Ace the GMAT Essay? No, Thanks! [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: Ace the GMAT Essay? No, Thanks!
We all know that the GMAT essay is scored separately and that the schools don’t care as much about the essay score. We also know we have to write the essays first thing, before we get to the more important Quant and Verbal sections (or even IR), so we don’t want to use up too much brain-power on the essay. Still, we can’t just bomb this section; the schools do care about the essay somewhat. So how do we do a good enough job without expending so much energy that we’re negatively affected during the multiple-choice portion of the test?

We need to develop a template, an organizational framework on which to hang our writing. The template will not, of course, tell us exactly what to write. For that, we need the actual essay prompt, which we won’t see until we take the test. We can, however, determine how to organize the information ahead of time, as well as the general kinds of messages we need to convey at various points throughout.

The template should tell us:

  • how many paragraphs to use
  • the primary purpose of each of those paragraphs
  • the kinds of information that need to be conveyed in each paragraph
The template will vary a little bit from person to person; the important thing is to have a consistent template for yourself that you’ve worked out in advance of the official test.

As a general rule, essays should have either four or five paragraphs total. The first paragraph is always the introduction, the last paragraph is always the conclusion, and the body (middle) paragraphs are for the examples we choose to use.

Each paragraph should contain certain things; these are listed in the below sections. The information does not need to be presented in the given order below, though; just make sure that each paragraph does contain the necessary information in some sort of clear and logical order. In addition, the information listed below is the minimum necessary info; you can certainly add more where appropriate.

Brainstorming

First, read the essay prompt. It will look/feel just like the Critical Reasoning arguments we see on the Verbal portion of the test, so tackle it in the same way! The argument will most closely resemble Assumption Family arguments, so find the conclusion and make sure you understand how the author is trying to support his/her conclusion. Next, brainstorm any assumptions* that you can think of and jot these down (or type them into the essay response area).

*Note: if you haven’t started studying CR Assumption Family questions yet, assumptions are unstated pieces of information that the author is assuming must be true in order to draw his/her conclusion.

Next, articulate flaws. Any assumptions are automatically flaws, because the author hasn’t established that those assumptions are, in fact, true. You may also think of other flaws along the way.

Finally, pick your two or three best flaws; these will form the basis of your essay.

This whole process should take roughly 3 to 4 minutes. Many people find this the hardest part of writing an essay; you can practice by opening up the essay chapter of your Official Guide book and simply brainstorming for one essay prompt. Don’t write the whole essay—just do the brainstorming portion once a day (only 5 minutes out of your day!) for a week or two and you’ll become much more skilled at this step.

First Paragraph

  • summarize the issue
  • state a thesis
  • acknowledge that the other side does have some merit
  • introduce your examples
  • 3 to 5 sentences total
First, briefly summarize the conclusion of the given argument in one to two sentences. Make sure to write using your own words (don’t simply quote the exact language from the essay prompt, though using the same word here or there is fine).

The first paragraph should also contain a thesis statement. The thesis is typically one sentence and conveys to the reader your overall message or point for the essay that you wrote. For the argument essay, you can write most of your thesis sentence before you get to the test! You already know that the argument will contain flaws, and that you will be discussing how those flaws hurt the author’s conclusion. Guess what? That’s always your thesis!

“While the argument does have some merit, there are several serious flaws which serve to undermine the validity of the author’s conclusion that XYZ.”

DON’T USE THAT EXACT SENTENCE. They’re going to get suspicious if hundreds of people use the same sentence. (Besides, that’s my sentence. Come up with your own!)

Note the opening clause: While the argument does have some merit. This is what’s called acknowledging the other side. We don’t say, Hey, your argument is completely terrible! There’s nothing good about it at all! We acknowledge that some parts may be okay, or some people may feel differently, but our position is that the flaws are the most important issue (that is, our thesis is the most important thing).

Notice one other thing that I don’t say: I don’t say I think. I state my thesis as though it is fact and reasonable people surely agree with me. That’s a hallmark of a persuasive essay.

Finally, the first paragraph needs to introduce whatever examples we’re going to use in the body paragraphs below. Don’t launch into the examples fully; that will come later. Do, though, mention the two or three flaws that you plan to discuss in the essay.

Body Paragraphs

Each flaw gets its own paragraph, so you’ll write either 2 or 3 body paragraphs of 4 to 6 sentences each. (I personally pick my 2 best flaws, so I write 2 body paragraphs. Remember, we just need to be good enough!)

Your goal here is to support your thesis statement. In each paragraph:

  • introduce one flaw (don’t repeat the exact language from the prompt)
  • explain why it is a flaw (how does this make the conclusion less likely to be true?)
  • suggest ways to fix the flaw (you’re fixing the flaw, not changing the conclusion; what could the author do to strengthen his/her argument?)
For example, let’s say that an argument claims that firing half of a company’s employees will help the company to reduce costs and therefore become more profitable. What’s the conclusion, what supports that conclusion, and what assumptions is the author making?

While it’s certainly true that chopping half of your payroll will reduce costs, it doesn’t necessarily follow that the company will become more profitable! That loss of personnel may negatively impact revenues, reduce productivity, hurt morale of the remaining employees, and so on. The author is assuming that no such adverse effects will result from this action; that’s a flaw in his/her thinking.

The author of such an argument could bolster the claim by, for example, presenting evidence that half of the employees are truly dead weight and firing them wouldn’t affect the company adversely. (Don’t worry about whether this is likely, whether such evidence actually exists, or even whether this is the best way to improve profitability. Your job is only to strengthen the author’s existing argument a little bit. If the author could actually produce evidence showing that there wouldn’t be adverse effects from such layoffs, then his conclusion would be strengthened. Period.)

Conclusion Paragraph

  • re-state your thesis (using new words)
  • re-acknowledge the other side (using new words)
  • briefly summarize how your examples supported your thesis (using new words)
  • 3 to 4 sentences
Are you noticing a theme within the above bullet points? Basically, the conclusion paragraph isn’t going to contain much new information. It’s a conclusion; the major points should already have been made earlier in the essay. What you’re doing now is tying everything together in one neat package: yes, the other side has some merit, but here’s my point-of-view and, by the way, I proved my case using examples X and Y.

Before you go into the real test, you should have a fully developed template, so that all you have to do is come up with your two examples, and then hang your words onto your framework. This doesn’t mean pre-writing and memorizing actual sentences, but do know in general the kinds of points you want to make in each paragraph. Practice with the above as a starting point until you develop something with which you’re comfortable. Don’t forget to leave some time to proof your essay; it’s okay to have a few typos, but systematic errors will lower your score.

Manhattan Prep is one of the world’s leading test prep providers. Every one of its instructors has a 99th percentile score on the GMAT and substantial teaching experience. The result? 19 years and thousands of satisfied students. By providing an outstanding curriculum and the highest-quality instructors in the industry, it empowers students to accomplish their goals. Manhattan Prep allows you to sit in on any of its live GMAT classes—in person or online—for free! Check out a trial class today.
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MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: I Have No Managerial Experience [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: I Have No Managerial Experience
Some might find it ironic that formal managerial experience is not a prerequisite for admission to a top MBA program. It is important to keep in mind that an MBA education is for those who aspire to become managers and is not exclusive to those who already are managers. If you are fretting about the fact that you have not had any subordinates to date and feel that overseeing a staff is a prerequisite to gaining admission to a top program, you are adhering to a myth and should worry no more. Instead, think about how you have simply excelled in your position and made the most of the leadership opportunities before you.

So, for example, consider the numerous investment banking analysts who apply to MBA programs each year. While analysts are at the bottom of the banks’ organizational charts and therefore do not have staffs to manage, they still have demanding jobs and must perform exceptionally well each day to succeed. Most analysts can tell the story of thriving in an ultra-competitive environment and thus reveal their professional excellence via their resumes, essays, and recommendations. And, even if most analysts do not have staffs of their own, there are still ample opportunities for senior analysts to train and mentor newer analysts. So, without a title and a staff, investment banking analysts can still demonstrate their leadership and de facto management skills.
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Explaining Your Contribution and Using School-Specific Info in MBA App [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: Explaining Your Contribution and Using School-Specific Info in MBA Application Essays
Many business schools use their essay questions as an opportunity to ask about the unique contributions you will make to their particular program.

Unfortunately, candidates often make the mistake of thinking that a bland summary statement like “I will bring my leadership skills to XYZ School” will sufficiently express their intended contribution. One reason we prefer to work with business school candidates “from start to finish” is so we can prevent such problems. Simply relating a story about a past experience and then repeating the main point does not demonstrate that you can or will make a meaningful contribution to the school. Ideally, you want to go further, explaining how you would apply and use your experience and skills while at the school in a way that would offer some benefit to others, thereby demonstrating a true understanding of your fit with that particular program.

Example 1:

“My experience as a stand-up comedian will allow me to bring humor to the Kellogg environment.”

With this statement, the MBA admissions committee is left wondering, “How exactly will this applicant bring humor to the environment? Does this person really know what our environment is about?” In contrast, consider our next example.

Example 2:

“My experience as a stand-up comic will prove particularly useful at Kellogg, a dynamic environment where I will be constantly joining new and energetic study teams. I anticipate using my sense of humor to create more relaxed team environments, helping everyone feel comfortable contributing, though I will use my humor judiciously, such as to diffuse tense moments during late-night study sessions, rather than as a distraction. I believe my skills and experience being funny on stage will also allow me to play an important role in the Kellogg Follies.”

In this example, the writer has applied his/her personal experience and intended contribution directly to the Kellogg experience and has thereby shown a clear connection with the school, proving that the candidate truly identifies with it and accurately understands its nature.

At times, candidates also tend to unintentionally describe their personal experience with a specific MBA program in a vague and general manner. Because they are writing from memory and discussing their authentic experience, they do not realize that they are not being specific enough. Consider the following example:

“During my visit to Cornell Johnson, I was struck by the easygoing classroom discussion, the warmth of the professors, and the time spent by the first-year student who not only toured the facilities with me but also took me out for coffee and asked several of his colleagues to join us.”

Although these statements may in fact be true, the text contains no Cornell-specific language. If the Yale School of Management, Michigan Ross, or the name of any other school were substituted for Cornell Johnson here, the statement would not otherwise change at all, resulting in a weak and generic essay.

In contrast, the following statement could refer only to UVA Darden:

“While on Grounds, I was impressed by Professor Robert Carraway’s easygoing and humorous style as he facilitated a fast-paced discussion of the ‘George’s T-Shirts’ case. Although I admittedly felt dizzied by the class’s pace, I was comforted when I encountered several students reviewing the finer points of the case later at First Coffee. I was impressed when my first-year guide stopped mid-tour to check in with her learning teammate and reinforce the case’s central point. It was then I recognized that this was the right environment for me.”

If you were to substitute the Darden name and even the professor’s name with those of another school and professor, the paragraph would no longer work. Including the Darden-specific information regarding the day’s case, First Coffee, and learning teams ensures that these sentences have a sincere and personal feel and shows that the candidate truly understands what the school is about. This is necessary to craft a compelling personal statement that will catch the admissions committee’s attention.
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Professor Profiles: Lubos Pastor, University of Chicago Booth School o [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: Professor Profiles: Lubos Pastor, University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Many MBA applicants feel that they are purchasing a brand when they choose a business school. However, the educational experience you will have is what is crucial to your future, and no one will affect your education more than your professors. Today, we focus on Lubos Pastor from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Despite his relatively young age, Lubos Pastor has already received considerable recognition for his research on the stock market and asset management and has been featured among “The Best 40 B-School Profs Under the Age of 40” by Poets&Quants. At Chicago Booth, Pastor is the Charles P. McQuaid Professor of Finance, the Robert King Steel Faculty Fellow, and the co-director of the Fama-Miller Center for Research in Finance. Pastor’s work has been influential, earning him such high-profile accolades as the NASDAQ Award, the Goldman Sachs Asset Management Prize, and the Barclays Global Investors Prize, as well as the McKinsey Award for Excellence and Teaching, and two of Chicago Booth’s own Faculty Excellence Awards for MBA Teaching. One student quoted in the Poets&Quants article said “his witty style elevates classroom conversations and facilitates retention of core concepts.” At Chicago Booth, Pastor teaches such courses as “Portfolio Management” and “Finance Seminar.”

For more information about Chicago Booth and 16 other top-ranked business schools, check out our free mbaMission Insider’s Guides.
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MBAs for Professionals at Villanova School of Business and Krannert Sc [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: MBAs for Professionals at Villanova School of Business and Krannert School of Management

Villanova School of Business

In 2013, the Villanova School of Business (VSB) received a $50M gift from alumnus James C. Davis, founder of recruitment company Allegis Group, and his wife, Kim. The donation—part of a $600M capital campaign—was the largest in the school’s history and was reportedly “earmarked to improve academic and career advising, increase internship and study abroad opportunities, perform technology upgrades, and provide scholarships,” according to Bloomberg Businessweek. VSB also planned to use a portion of the funds to “beef up its faculty roster to include more professors focused on teaching as opposed to research.”

With a satellite campus in Center City, Philadelphia, VSB specializes in part-time programs for working professionals, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of a full-time curriculum without leaving their job. In this vein, the school offers an accelerated, two-year, part-time Fast Track degree option, for which students meet twice a week, as well as the more customizable Flex Track degree option, which typically takes three years to complete and accommodates varying course loads.

One advantage of the accelerated option is the opportunity to partake in the school’s two-part consulting practicum project, which includes the “Social Enterprise Consulting Practicum” and the “Global Practicum” capstone courses—each lasting 14 weeks. In the former practicum, students work with local nonprofit organizations to identify strategies in such areas as branding, funding, and membership retention. Alternatively, the latter practicum entails working with a multinational corporation to gain firsthand experience analyzing market issues. VSB also hosts a variety of elective international immersion courses, through which students may travel abroad over winter break or during the summer.

Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management

Another option for professionals is Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management, whose two executive MBA programs focus on helping professionals gain their advanced business degrees while maintaining a career. Students can select the traditional executive MBA program, which features six residencies at Krannert and one abroad, or the IMM Global Executive MBA program, during which students are divided into cohorts and take part in residencies in each of the six IMM partner schools (in addition to Krannert). Locations for the residencies include Brazil, China, and Italy. Both of these executive MBA programs take place over the course of 19 months and include online learning modules in addition to in-person studies.
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B-School Insider Interview: Courtney Duffy, Dual-Degree Student, Dartm [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: B-School Insider Interview: Courtney Duffy, Dual-Degree Student, Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business and Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Class of 2019
February 2019

Originally from Worcester, Massachusetts, Courtney Duffy is a 2012 graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where she studied political science, English, and the interdisciplinary arts. She held several professional roles before applying to business school, including one as a regional field director on Senator Scott Brown’s reelection bid. She also established InkHouse Media + Marketing’s first satellite office in San Francisco before relocating to Washington, DC, to run government relations for the nation’s largest arts services organization, Fractured Atlas.

mbaMission: Thank you so much for giving us some insight into the Tuck MBA experience today. But you’re not just a Tuck student, you’re pursuing two degrees at once, right? Can you start by explaining how that works a little?

Courtney Duffy: During my first year at Tuck, I applied to the Harvard Kennedy School’s concurrent MPA program. I began at Kennedy in the fall of 2018 and am currently back at Tuck finishing up my MBA. Next year, I will be at Kennedy full time and graduate from there with my MPA in 2020. Last summer, I interned at Facebook on the company’s Economic Policy team. I have one more summer in which to intern and eventually plan to work in the private sector—likely a tech company—with a mission-oriented function.

mbaMission: Nice. What compelled you to choose Tuck for your MBA?

CD: Tuck is eerily similar to my high school and college environments. I had a “nontraditional” background going into business school and knew I wanted an intimate learning environment with small classes and close professor connections in which I would feel comfortable making mistakes as I sought to bolster my analytical toolkit. I knew Tuck is often referred to as tight-knit and all that, but it has exceeded my expectations. Before even arriving on campus, the leader of the MBA program office connected me with an apartment rental opportunity. The apartment was under renovation, and she herself walked to the apartment during a lunch break to personally ensure its quality. With her thumbs up, I felt confident signing a lease sight unseen while still living in DC. I also had access to tutoring for my quantitative classes from second years who made themselves available to meet with me anytime I needed them. During exam season, we literally met every day—all free of charge! I thought I knew what I was getting when I decided to come here, but I barely knew the tip of the iceberg.

mbaMission: That sounds great. How have you liked living in Hanover for your studies?

CD: Hanover already holds a special place in my heart, and we hear from alumni recruiters all the time about how happy they are to be back. I actually hosted an alum and his family at my empty apartment for a week during the summer. He wanted to share this place with his wife and young daughter. I know I have my whole life ahead of me to live in a bustling city, and I look forward to that. But going to a program like this one, in a place like this, causes everyone to “buy in,” to really take advantage of the outdoor opportunities, to embrace the winter weather for all the activities it offers, to host visiting friends and family with pride, and more. It is such a transformative two years. We all lean into Hanover and embrace it and will certainly return to it throughout our lives.

mbaMission: I’ve only ever heard good things about Hanover, so I’m not surprised. What are your thoughts on Tuck’s required curriculum and the way it is executed?

CD: Having never so much as taken an economics class, I needed a level set, and the first-year curriculum offered just that. Some of my classmates placed out of certain subjects depending on their pre-Tuck experiences, but for the most part, they were encouraged to enroll all the same. They added such rich experiences to the classroom, and within my individual study group, my financially savvy classmates regularly took the time to walk me through the basics of subjects I had never before touched and which were being covered during the core. I was particularly impressed by the fact that our professors in the core curriculum had studied our respective backgrounds and sought our experiences during relevant moments of the conversation in a way that familiarized everyone with one another’s strengths and elevated the discussion quality overall. Tuck was proactive about soliciting our feedback on the core, as well. One of the most frequent suggestions was to rework the order of courses in accordance with the recruiting schedule. From what I understand, “Marketing” is moving to the Fall Term from the Winter Term, for example, to benefit first years recruiting for internships in the marketing and brand management space who interview in January. There are also steps being taken to draw closer connections between the concepts taught during the core and the national and global business world.

mbaMission: Can you comment a little on Tuck’s required First-Year Project (FYP) and how that works?

CD: It’s basically a capstone of sorts which first years complete in the final term of the first year. It’s a way to apply all the skills you’ve acquired during Tuck’s core curriculum, which is of course rigorous and comprehensive. Traditionally, students divide into groups of five or six and select among a number of different projects which are sourced by the school: a local nonprofit may be looking for a comprehensive marketing plan, for example, or a Tuck alum may want some market research done to help her decide whether or not to expand her business into another state, and so on. Many of my classmates took on FYP clients from other countries and then visited those countries to make a final presentation.

In my case, however, I was part of an “eFYP,” the e standing for entrepreneurship. My classmate wanted to explore why more women don’t run for elected office, and she assembled a team of five women to dig into the issue and develop potential solutions. We tackled the project over several stages—by interviewing leading researchers in the field, interviewing women who hold elected office, interviewing women who would make great candidates but have never run to learn what they see as the largest obstacles, and so on. Eventually, we developed technology solutions to tackle the two largest obstacles cited by these women.

mbaMission: Nice. Have you done any Tuck-related traveling, either just for fun or as part of a course or program?

CD: When it comes to travel opportunities here, my classmates and I face an embarrassment of riches. Informally, I joined a student-led trip to Colombia over Winter Break during my first year. Formally, I participated in a pre-Tuck trip to Croatia with 20 classmates, which was overseen by a Tuck alum who runs a tourism company. We had a mid-sized ship to ourselves and explored, hiked, visited vineyards, swam, relaxed, dined, danced, and more for a full week. I built the beginnings of lifelong friendships in just a few short days, a trend which has continued in Hanover. I currently live with two girls I met on that trip. And academically, I love Tuck’s global requirement [TuckGO]. I believe it’s the only top program that has it? Or maybe it used to be. To fulfill that requirement, I visited China for 11 days over Spring Break of my first year on a professor-led trek which was entrepreneurship and venture capital themed. Tuck funded the entire trip itself; all we were responsible for was our own plane tickets. Tuck alumni hosted us for site visits across Beijing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai at companies such as Alibaba, JD.com, and Didi, among eight or nine others.

mbaMission: That sounds really fun. How would you characterize your classmates and the greater Tuck community?

CD: The strength and intimacy of Tuck’s community is perhaps what the program is best known for. I knew that going in, and it’s one of the traits that most drew me to apply in the first place. But somehow the community’s depth exceeded my already high expectations. I can confidently say that I “get it” now. Here’s an example: One of my classmates had a friend from college who was applying to Tuck, and when the applicant and his wife visited Hanover, my classmate organized a small group dinner for the couple so they would feel welcome. Over the course of our discussion about Tuck, the applicant noted that any time any one of us mentioned the first name of someone in the community, everyone else knew who they were talking about. Everyone knows who “Doug” is, who “Simone” is, who “Lina” is. And beyond the simple comfort of knowing all my classmates and feeling acknowledged for the perspective and talents that I bring to the community, I have forged deep friendships that far surpass a simple hello in the hallway. These are my future business partners, investors, and sounding boards. Most importantly, they are my dear friends.

mbaMission: Have you had any particular professors or courses that have really made an impression on you?

CD: In my earlier academic life, I typically answered this question by choosing an instructor from a class in which I easily excelled. It’s natural to have positive associations with those who teach you in subjects which align with your natural talents. In this case, however, I would say Emily Blanchard, the professor of the most difficult course for me in my two years at Tuck: “Global Economics for Managers,” a course from the core curriculum which is affectionately known as “GEM.” Beyond being an expert in economics who has been widely published and is frequently sought by reporters to comment on stories, Professor Blanchard maintained incredibly high expectations—you never wanted to be unprepared and “disappoint” her—all the while weaving in humor and cultivating an environment in which even the more “elementary” questions were answered with respect and energy. She found a way to weave the most banal concepts into compelling story lines that were accessible to everyone and directly relevant to the world around us. I visited her office hours frequently and knew that she genuinely enjoyed holding them. Professor Blanchard is an absolute force, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to learn from her during my time here.

mbaMission: I love that. Have you had much interaction with Dean (Matthew) Slaughter?

CD: I had always heard that Dean Slaughter had been a beloved professor at Tuck before embracing the dean role full-time. He actually taught GEM, the course Professor Blanchard teaches now. I jumped at the opportunity to take a course he began teaching this semester called “Leadership in the Global Economy.” In many ways, the course is like a GEM 2.0. We tie together all of the concepts and themes we have been discussing since the fall of 2017 and apply them directly to discussions of policies that have major consequences for millions of people—climate change, immigration, intellectual property and technology, trade, etc. Ahead of each class and after extensive research on the subject at hand, we each compose and submit Congressional testimony on behalf of one of the major players involved in the topic. Dean Slaughter then reviews all the testimony and strategically assembles a foursome whose character testimonies complement each other well. We then hold an actual Congressional committee–style hearing during class in which the foursome read their testimonies before answering questions from their character’s point of view which are asked by classmates in the audience who take on the roles of Congressional members.

mbaMission: That sounds really intense! How would you assess Tuck’s facilities?

CD: There is a finite number of first-year dorm rooms, and demand for dorm rooms was particularly high among my T’19 class. I unfortunately did not win the housing lottery but ended up in a lovely one bedroom a short walk from campus which turned out to be wonderful. This is not a consistent problem, however. The T’20 class demand was lower, and there were extra dorms available. As for the best parts of Tuck’s facilities, I love that all the buildings are connected underground, not just because it allows us to avoid the cold on particularly chilly days but mostly because it aligns with that sense of connectedness that Tuck advocates. It’s no coincidence that I get to campus at 8 a.m. and regularly stay until between 10 p.m. and midnight. With a gym, library, dining hall, and all the study rooms I could ever need available within a short walk, Tuck makes for a gorgeous place to study and socialize, no matter the season.

mbaMission: Sounds good. You’ve mentioned some of your interactions with Tuck graduates. We’ve been told in the past that the alumni are very responsive, open, and generous with students—would you say that’s still the case?

CD: I felt the strength of Tuck’s alumni network even before I applied. I did some serious diligence during my application process, reaching out to alumni of all the schools to which I was applying. Tuck was the only program from which I received a response from every single alum I emailed, even those I cold emailed! In a few cases, our subsequent phone conversations about the program lasted a full hour. As a student, I have found myself in a few situations in which I was invited to interview with companies with a really tight turnaround. The alumni from those companies who I reached out to, even with the time constraints, still made themselves available to me. I genuinely enjoy speaking to prospective students and am eager to continue offering myself as a resource to future Tuckies. It’s my turn to be part of the circle which has been so good to me!

mbaMission: Sure. Has the school’s career development office helped you with your job searches?

CD: I took an atypical recruiting path, which actually changed slightly upon my acceptance to the Kennedy School. Suddenly I had two summers in which to intern, and my reemergence in the real world was delayed a year. Tuck’s career services office was incredibly flexible and has allowed me to recruit for another summer internship as if I was a T’20. As is consistent with Tuck all around, the career resources are incredibly personalized for the student and her needs.

mbaMission: That’s good to hear. What other Tuck resources would you say have been most helpful in preparing you for your post-MBA career?

CD: Tuck has empowered me to develop a greater understanding of myself as a leader. This includes understanding and growing my strengths, of course, but it also involves digging into my weaknesses, fears, and vulnerabilities. I have learned how to network more naturally—I am an introvert, so this has been a significant development for me—how to influence and collaborate with my peers, and how to ask the right questions in any professional setting.

mbaMission: Great. What have been some of your favorite extracurricular activities at Tuck?

CD: I am co-president of the Tuck Band, which is, without a doubt, the most meaningful extracurricular in which I have engaged during my time here. Any class of 275 high achievers is bound to have talented musicians, and my class is no exception. As first years, we kept up the Tuck Band tradition by forming a group called The Regressions, which rehearses on Sunday nights and focuses on cover songs. We regularly play for our classmates at events in Raether [Hall], and even for events held at Hanover venues like Murphy’s Pub and The Skinny Pancake. Most meaningfully, we were the main act at Admitted Students Weekend, which meant a lot to us. Several of us had decided at our own Admitted Students Weekend that Tuck was the place for us when we saw the T’17 and T’18 bands performing. The opportunity to have the same impact on future T’20s was not taken lightly. It was a real honor.

mbaMission: That sounds really cool. What else do students tend to do for fun outside the classroom?

CD: Tuck offers an incredibly diverse and active social scene. There are also a good number of students who came to Tuck with young families, so several of the events are family friendly and open to Tuck partners and children, too—the “TPs” and “Tiny Tuckies.” While the outdoor- and winter-related activities are genuinely unmatched, everything from skiing and hiking to camping and playing “Tripod Hockey,” I want to emphasize that there is so much more to Tuck and Hanover than these activities. I am not a “nature person” by any stretch, and I have maintained a robust social life without ever stepping into a ski or skate. We’ll often have themed parties in Raether, some of which the band will play at, such as “Tuck High,” a high school prom–themed evening, or a mixer with the medical school called Suits and Stethoscopes. Students also frequent Murphy’s, a pub in downtown Hanover which is the undisputed “Tuck bar.” The bartenders make a point of learning every student’s name, and it makes for a really cozy experience. This year, we’ve begun hosting open mic nights at Murphy’s, too, featuring singers, instrumentalists, and even stand-up comedians. The Dartmouth Coach bus is an inexpensive way to get to New York City or Boston at any time, which is always an option, but most students dig into their time here and stay in the area over the weekends.

mbaMission: I’m impressed that the bartenders learn everyone’s name! Do students seem very concerned with Tuck’s placement in the various MBA rankings?

CD: Tuckies do of course pay attention to the program’s various rankings, but it comes from a place of pride in the school and wanting to make sure the richness of opportunities here is adequately depicted. We maintain an active dialogue, both within our class and with faculty and the administration, to provide feedback on what can make Tuck even stronger for Tuckies of the future.

mbaMission: What do you think more people should know about Tuck that they probably don’t know, particularly candidates who might be considering the school—or who are not considering it and should?

CD: I’d like to take this opportunity to dispel three common misconceptions. One, as I mentioned earlier, you don’t have to be a “nature person” or a seasoned New Englander to come here and have the best two years of your life. Two, you don’t have to aspire to enter consulting or banking. While Tuck has an exceptional track record of preparing students for roles in those spaces, there is a strong contingent of students who focus on a wide range of industries, and the resources available to those engaging in off-campus recruiting are boundless. Three, the financial investment you make in yourself by spending two years at Tuck will pay off well beyond graduation. The payoff for me, not just in terms of the business and leadership skills I have gained here, but also on the strength of the alumni community I will soon join, will last me a lifetime.
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Why GMAT Prep Is Like Training for a Marathon [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: Why GMAT Prep Is Like Training for a Marathon

Our friends at Manhattan Prep often tell students to think of the GMAT as a long-distance race. Successful runners conquer race day through specific goals, consistent training, and mental toughness. It turns out that the same holds true for successful GMAT test takers.

Setting a Goal Pace

The best runners don’t just aim for completion; they set a goal pace. How do they arrive at a specific, measurable goal? Marathon runners test their abilities on shorter races (5K, 10K, half-marathon) to determine an achievable goal for race day. Also, many runners are looking to beat various thresholds such as completing a marathon in under four hours.

Similarly, if you’re taking the GMAT, you should have a goal score in mind. You arrive at that goal score by taking a practice test to gauge your current proficiency, and then setting a challenging but reasonable goal score. Usually that goal score also coincides with the benchmarks posted by the business schools you’re looking to attend. Having a specific goal in mind helps you develop an appropriate study plan and informs your test day strategies.

Training Consistently
The majority of a race outcome is dependent on the work you put in before you are on the race course; all of the training that your legs have endured will push you across the finish line. For runners, following a consistent training plan produces the physiological changes necessary for improving their pace; it gets their bodies ready for challenges they will face on race day. Just as runners aim to train 4–5 days a week with a couple rest days sprinkled in between, GMAT test takers should aim to do ~30 minutes of practice on most days and schedule longer (but not too long!) studying sessions for the weekends. Why?

Well, first off, spending long stretches of time away from test material will wipe away some of the “gains” you made in previous weeks. If it’s been two weeks since you’ve looked at a Critical Reasoning question, you’ll need to refresh your memory on the various types of Critical Reasoning questions and the approaches for each. Regularly exposing yourself to the material will keep you moving forward instead of having to repeat a chapter that you previously covered.

Second, consistent studying is more manageable than attempting to cram many hours of studying on the weekend. If you’re aiming to run 50 miles in a given week, trying to complete 40 of those miles over the weekend results in overtraining and perhaps even injury. Long, exhausting study sessions leave you tired and demoralized, and more importantly, it’s very difficult to master all of the content covered during those sessions because your brain is on overdrive. In fact, studies have shown that knowledge retention improves when students space out their study time. Shorter but more frequent study sessions also let you “sleep” on certain concepts and problems, and you will find that you’re able to tackle challenging problems with greater ease if you step away from them for a day or two.

Lastly, consistent training leads to incremental improvements. Runs that felt tough two weeks ago start to feel easier because you’ve been training almost every day and your body is making the appropriate physiological adjustments. It’s impossible to jump from a 500 to a 600 on the GMAT without making many small improvements along the way. Significant score improvements are achieved through a combination of incremental changes such as mastering Quant topics, using alternative problem-solving strategies, and improving time management.

So open up a calendar and set a consistent study schedule. Feel free to vary it up by studying in different locations, mixing topics, etc. You’ll feel yourself training your brain muscles and the incremental improvements in performance will sufficiently prepare you for test day.

Preparing for the Big Day

Before race day, runners spend approximately one week “tapering.” Tapering involves reducing training volume to give your body rest, giving you that “fresh legs” feeling on race day. Staying up late the night before your test is a bad idea. Instead of frantically taking practice tests and completing problem sets during the week leading up to test day, try to taper the amount of studying so that you’re well-rested and “mentally fresh.”

On the big day, all runners are nervous. The runners who hit their goals manage their nerves and exhibit mental toughness. They are optimistic because they know that they have set appropriate goals and trained consistently toward those goals, and they don’t let the challenges of race day get in their heads, focusing instead on producing the best outcome possible. Also, they are ready for the long haul. Instead of gassing themselves out by running too fast for the first half of the race, they conserve their energy to maintain the pace required to hit their desired finish time.

How does that translate into strategies for test day? On test day, you’ll be nervous and that’s expected. Stay optimistic, gather confidence from all of the hard work you’ve put into studying, trust yourself, and stay mentally resilient in the face of challenging problems. Oh, and if you manage to also have fun on test day, I’m confident that you’ll deliver your best performance.

Manhattan Prep is one of the world’s leading test prep providers. Every one of its instructors has a 99th percentile score on the GMAT and substantial teaching experience. The result? 18 years and thousands of satisfied students. By providing an outstanding curriculum and the highest-quality instructors in the industry, it empowers students to accomplish their goals. Manhattan Prep allows you to sit in on any of its live GMAT classes—in person or online—for free! Check out a trial class today.
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MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: I Must Have Done Something Wrong [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed: I Must Have Done Something Wrong
You have a 720 GMAT score and a 3.75 GPA. You have made solid career progress and procured glowing recommendations. You have been actively volunteering in your community for years. You worked hard on your application and landed an interview at your target school, where you felt you did well. But you still did not get in. You must have done something terribly wrong in your interview or unwittingly made a mess of your essays, right? Not necessarily.

We recently spoke with the admissions director at a top MBA program who explained that his school does not give feedback to rejected candidates because it is simply a waste of the candidate’s and admissions staff’s time. The admissions director told us that the school would need to nitpick in order to give candidates something to work on and to ensure that they filled the time during these hypothetical feedback sessions. He explained that nine times out of ten, the feedback that they offered to weaker candidates would be patently obvious and that countless strong applicants had done nothing wrong at all. In fact, most candidates create their best applications, but space is simply limited in the class.

Although this may not be comforting if you were rejected, you may just have been the victim of a competitive process during a competitive year. We suggest that you honestly assess your own candidacy and consider staying the course as you continue applying. Spending significant time revamping your applications may be a waste of time and a losing strategy. Patience may prove beneficial in the long term.
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The Value of Current—and Enthusiastic—Community Service [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: The Value of Current—and Enthusiastic—Community Service
MBA admissions committees try to identify applicants who are constantly active, challenging themselves in all spheres of their lives. As a result, extracurricular and community activities are not only powerful in showing an MBA candidate’s benevolence, but they also help create the impression that the applicant is steadily pursuing goals and is therefore predisposed to success.

We regularly encounter applicants who say, “I have been so busy professionally that I haven’t had time to volunteer, but I was really active during college.” In almost all cases, however, as candidates get further from their college years, their undergraduate experience becomes less and less relevant. Although having a record of consistent achievement throughout college and into one’s professional life is best, MBA applicants are often evaluated on a “What have you done for me lately?” basis—meaning that contemporary community service is generally more important.

MBA admissions officers know that finding time to commit to external activities can sometimes be challenging, but they still see many applicants from the most competitive fields who indeed find time to give back to others. So, if you had a rich and rewarding college experience filled with leadership, in short, keep that trend going. You have a powerful complement to your contemporary involvements, but not a substitute.

Showing enthusiasm for your volunteer work is as important as committing to the work itself. If you are slogging through your time as a volunteer, you are certainly not helping yourself or your candidacy. “Time served” is not the most important factor of your community work in the eyes of the MBA admissions committees—what is meaningful and revealing is the impact you have on others. Indeed, the spirit with which you have served your community is what will impress the committees.

As you consider your options for community involvement (and we hope you began doing so long before now), be sure to choose a cause or group about which you are passionate and to which you can commit yourself entirely. By dedicating yourself to an organization about which you are sincerely enthusiastic (just as you would do in choosing a job), you will naturally find yourself in situations that will lend themselves to quality essays and powerful recommendations.
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Professor Profiles: Gavan Fitzsimons, Duke University’s Fuqua School o [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: Professor Profiles: Gavan Fitzsimons, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business

Many MBA applicants feel that they are purchasing a brand when they choose a business school. However, the educational experience you will have is what is crucial to your future, and no one will affect your education more than your professors. Today, we focus on Gavan Fitzsimons from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

Students and administration members alike sing the praises of Fuqua’s “fun” and “engaging” marketing professor, Gavan Fitzsimons, who spearheaded the creation of the Duke-Synovate Center for Shopper Insights in 2011 and serves as its faculty principal today. Fitzsimons is the Edward and Rose Donnell Professor of Marketing and Psychology at Fuqua and has received an Excellence in Core Teaching Award at the school three times, in addition to two honorable mentions. His work, which focuses on the ways in which consumers are subconsciously influenced, has been published and popularized in prestigious academic journals and media outlets from the Journal of Consumer Research and the Journal of Marketing Research to NPR, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal. Fitzsimons has also served as an associate editor of the Journal of Consumer Research and an editorial board member for such publications as the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Marketing Letters, and the Journal of Macromarketing.

For more information about Duke Fuqua and 16 other top-ranked business schools, check out our free mbaMission Insider’s Guides.
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On-Campus vs. Off-Campus Interviews: Which is the Best Choice? [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: On-Campus vs. Off-Campus Interviews: Which is the Best Choice?
If you have been invited to interview with your target business school, you may be wondering whether it is more beneficial to interview on-campus with a member of the admissions committee, or off-campus with a local alumni interviewer.

Recently, mbaMission senior consultant Rachel Back addressed this question in a video for our friends at GMAT Club. During the brief video, Rachel addresses the following:

  • What are the major differences between on-campus and off-campus interviews?
  • In which situations does it makes sense to opt for an on-campus interview?
  • Does interviewing on-campus have a more positive impact on your acceptance chances?
  • What is the right strategy for YOU?

Watch the full video below:



For more b-school video content, be sure to subscribe to mbaMission’s YouTube channel!
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On-Campus vs. Off-Campus Interviews: Which Is Better? [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: On-Campus vs. Off-Campus Interviews: Which Is Better?
If you have been invited to interview with your target business school, you may be wondering whether it is more beneficial to interview on-campus with a member of the admissions committee, or off-campus with a local alumni interviewer.

Recently, mbaMission senior consultant Rachel Back addressed this question in a video for our friends at GMAT Club. During the brief video, Rachel addresses the following:

  • What are the major differences between on-campus and off-campus interviews?
  • In which situations does it makes sense to opt for an on-campus interview?
  • Does interviewing on-campus have a more positive impact on your acceptance chances?
  • What is the right strategy for YOU?

Watch the full video below:



For more b-school video content, be sure to subscribe to mbaMission’s YouTube channel!
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“Complete the Passage” Critical Reasoning Arguments on the GMAT [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: “Complete the Passage” Critical Reasoning Arguments on the GMAT
With regard to the GMAT, raw intellectual horsepower helps, but it is not everything. Manhattan Prep’s Stacey Koprince teaches you how to perform at your best on test day by using some common sense.

Have you run across any “fill in the blank” Critical Reasoning (CR) questions yet? These arguments end with a long, straight line, and we are supposed to pick an answer choice that fills in that blank.

Try this example from the free question set that comes with GMATPrep:

Which of the following best completes the passage below?

People buy prestige when they buy a premium product. They want to be associated with something special. Mass-marketing techniques and price reduction strategies should not be used because ________________.

(A) affluent purchasers currently represent a shrinking portion of the population of all purchasers

(B) continued sales depend directly on the maintenance of an aura of exclusivity

(C) purchasers of premium products are concerned with the quality as well as with the price of the products

(D) expansion of the market niche to include a broader spectrum of consumers will increase profits

(E) manufacturing a premium brand is not necessarily more costly than manufacturing a standard brand of the same product

Officially, these are called “Complete the Passage” arguments. The interesting tidbit: they are NOT a separate question type! These questions fall into one of the same categories you have been studying all along; the format is just presented in this “fill in the blank” format.

Most of the time, these are actually Strengthen questions. Every now and then, you will encounter a Find the Assumption question in this format.

The real trick here is to determine the question type. If the word right before the underline is because or since (or something equivalent), then the question you are dealing with is a Strengthen question. If the argument is set up to ask you to insert a piece of information that would support the conclusion of the argument, that is a Strengthen question.

The only real variation I have seen is when the sentence leading up to the blank asks what must be true or what must be shown. In those cases, you probably have a Find the Assumption question.

Want to know how to do the GMATPrep question presented earlier in this post? I am so glad you asked! Take a look at this full article that explains how to do the question and takes you through the standard four-step process for all CR questions. The article on the Manhattan Prep blog is the first in a three-part series on CR; click the link at the end to read the second part, and so on.
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Heading South for an MBA: The University of Texas McCombs School of Bu [#permalink]
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FROM mbaMission Blog: Heading South for an MBA: The University of Texas McCombs School of Business and Emory University’s Goizueta Business School

In 2013, the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, Austin, introduced several highlights to its MBA program that would allow students to benefit from expanded opportunities for work experience (including with nonprofits), entrepreneurship, and leadership programming.

For example, the school expanded its pilot program for brand management experience with Dr Pepper Snapple Group’s Yoo-hoo brand. In what is now called the Marketing Labs program, students are divided into teams of two to learn marketing skills by working hands-on for such major firms as AT&T and Dell. All first-year MBA students are eligible to apply to the program, which runs through the course of one academic year. During the 2018–2019 academic year, such companies as AT&T, Dell, ExxonMobil, and Frito-Lay are featured as partners in the program.

Another addition, the Texas Venture Labs Scholarship, awards MBA scholarships to winners of a start-up pitch competition, in which both admitted and prospective students can compete. The competition awards nearly $60,000 in prizes annually. In the area of nonprofit work, McCombs hosts a chapter of the Net Impact program, which affords students the chance to work on socially and environmentally responsible projects aimed at solving major societal problems. In 2014, the McCombs chapter was chosen as the Net Impact Graduate Chapter of the Year.


Another Southern institution, Emory University’s Goizueta Business School—named after late Coca-Cola CEO Roberto C. Goizueta—is deeply rooted in a legacy of global business leadership. Goizueta’s MBA program offers one- and two-year formats, strives to maintain an intimate learning environment, and offers its students the benefits of being located in a significant global commercial hub. One of the program’s notable advantages has been its success in attracting recruiters. The school’s recruiting strengths seem to be reflected in its latest employment report as well—95% of the Class of 2018 received job offers within three months of graduation and accepted positions with such major companies as Accenture, Barclays, Deloitte, Delta Air Lines, Google, Johnson & Johnson, J.P. Morgan, Microsoft Corporation, and UPS.
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